Whirligig.



P. E. SMITH.

WHIRLIGIG. v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1908.

Patented Se t. 29, 1 908.-

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PERGIVAL E. SMITH, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

WHIRLIGIG.

No. seaesef Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed June 10, 1908. Serial No. 437,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCIVAL E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Whirligig, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to whirligigs.

The object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character in the use of which the body, as well as the cord, will be caused to assume a variety of geometrical shapes, such as ellipses, double cones, frustums of cones, and the like, parted to the device that will cause its use to give pleasure to the person employing it.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists, generally stated, in a ring, either quadrate or circular in cross section, and having extending through its periphery two pairs of openings that aline, and which are designed to be engaged by the cord for imparting gyratory movements to the body.

'The invention consists further in the various novel details of construction of a whirligig, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatlon, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a Whirligig, the body of which is made of metal that is quadrangularin cross section. Fig. 2 isa similar view of a Whirligig in which the body is made of metal that is circular in cross section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the positions assumed by the body when the cord or actuating member is held taut during an entire period of s inning. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing t e varlous positions assumed, or apparently assumed by the body and the cord when the latter is allowed to loosen on movement of the fingers.

The body 1 of the Whirligig is constructed of an annulus of metal, of any preferred character, andas shown in Fig. 1 is quadrangular in cross section, and in Fig. 2 is cirwhereby a novelty will be imcular in like section. The body shown in Fig. 1 is unbroken, while the body shown in Fig. 2 is split. Generally, on account of its brilliancy, it will be preferred to employ polished brass in making the body, but any other metal preferred may be employed and may be painted or otherwise ornamented to produce pleasing efiects.

The body is provided in its peri hery with two pairs of orifices 2 that are is osed in alinement and through which exten s a cord or actuating member 3.

In the use of the device, the body is first turned to cause the cord to have a sufiioient number of twists imparted to it to insure driving of the body, and then upon outward draft being applied to the cord, the body will rotate, but not in the same manner as an ordinary whirli ig, for the reason that the orifices are para lel with the plane or sides of the body, whereas with an ordinary whirligig they are at right angles thereto. If the cord be held under tension during the eriod that the fingers are being moved to and from each other to cause twisting and untwisting of the cord, the body will assume the positions shown in Fig. 3, that is to say, the ring will pass from its normal position to a plane at right angles thereto, and as the body does not spin through a described arc, but rather gyrates, that portion of the cord within the body will be caused to assume a frustum shape, as shown in Fig. 3. If, the cord be allowed to loosen on the inward movement of the fingers, the body will assume the different position shown in Fig. 4, and the cord on the interior of the body will assume an hour glass shape, while that on the exterior thereof will assume a cone shape. The variety'of positions of shape taken by both the cord and the body wi 1 be controlled by the manipulator, and after some experience the number of designs produced may be practically numberless.

The device as a whole is simple in character but will be found to be ractical and positive in o eration, and capa le of offering pleasure to t e user of the toy.

What is claimed is A Whirligig comprising an annulus having its two opposite sides provided with alined In testimony that I claim the foregoing as orifices, and an actuating cord threaded my own, I have hereto allixed my signature through the orifices and formin on each side in the presence of two witnesses. of the annulus a long twisting Ioop the sides PERCIVAL E. SMITH.

5 of which are disconnected and free for twist- Witnesses:

ing and untwisting for the entire lengths of JOHN A. EmoKsoN, the loops. r L. V. SISLER. 

